Parly holds interviews for commissioners

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter

Parliament’s Committee on Standing Rules and Orders has held public interviews to select six new commissioners for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to replace the six whose terms expire next month.

The public interviews, which are a Constitutional requirement, were held last Friday.

The six commissioners whose terms are expiring are: Joyce Kazembe, Daniel Chigaru, Sibongile Ndlovu, Faith Sebata, Dr Ngoni Kundidzora and Netsai Mushonga.

Dr Kundidzora is eligible for reappointment and was one of those interviewed.

Former ZEC chief elections officer Mrs Constance Chigwamba and former Manicaland senator Engineer Patrick Chitaka were among the candidates interviewed.

Some of the questions asked by the panel included why one thought they were a suitable candidate for the post, why Government created ZEC, whether the Constitution and the electoral laws needed amendments and the importance of ZEC’s independence.

ZEC is made up of nine commissioners whose tenure is six years and can only be renewed once.

Following the interviews, Parliament will submit names of its nominees from where the President will make his appointments.

Parliament, through Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, is mandated in terms of sections 237 and 238 of the Constitution, to nominate candidates for appointment by the President, to serve as Commissioners on ZEC as provided for in Chapter 12 of the Constitution.

The committee is the top committee in Parliament, chaired by the Speaker of the National Assembly and incorporating top members from both the Government and opposition benches.

ZEC is mandated to prepare for, conduct and supervise elections for various levels that include for the office of President, Parliament, provincial and metropolitan councils, local authorities and elections of members of the National Council of Chiefs and referendums.

Other functions of ZEC include to supervise elections of the president of the Senate and the Speaker of the National Assembly, register voters, compile voters’ rolls and registers and to delimit constituencies, wards and other electoral boundaries.